60 The Field Naturalist's Quarterly Feb. 



writer, after expressing no wonder at the popularity of this 

 species, goes on to state that he has known a pair thrive 

 for three years, summer and winter, without any artificial 

 protection. Ccsruleus has bred in captivity in England, and 

 has been recorded up to nineteen years of age. 



There can, therefore, be no question as to their hardi- 

 hood, the possibility of these birds taking care of themselves 

 in Broadland, and breeding here too, if only they were given 

 a chance of doing so. Five-and-twenty years ago equally 

 strong arguments might justly have been brought against 

 some half-dozen birds which are now included in the British 

 list, as still resign the Porphyrios to doubtful positions. My 

 idea is that we shall now have occurrences more or less 

 regularly chronicled, and in a few more years this African 

 straggler will be as thoroughly recognised as a British subject 

 as only a few years ago such a probability may have seemed 

 as remote as the then inclusion of our latest human South 

 African additions to the Empire appeared to be. Meanwhile 

 those who retain Porphyrios in a state of semi-captivity 

 might take the time and trouble to follow out Mr Gurney's 

 suggestion of marking their birds with permanent rings or 

 other devices, and thus assist themselves to the identification 

 and possible recovery of their escapes, and at the same time 

 disprove the theory of spontaneous immigration of these two 

 species. 



In addition to the British killed birds of the species pre- 

 viously alluded to, there is one (stuffed) in Lord Hastings' 

 collection in the Museum at Great Yarmouth, but no data 

 are attached to it. Probably there are also some other 

 mounted specimens in public museums and private posses- 

 sion, whose existence, however, is not chronicled in the 

 various Natural History journals. I should be glad of notes 

 of any such individuals. 



